Coconut Crumble French Toast Soufflés

Brunch is my favourite meal of the day and one of my favourite dishes is French toast. French toast could be cumbersome to prepare but I found that baking it really cuts down on time. I put a fun twist on a French toast bake and created these Coconut Crumble French Toast “Soufflés” Featuring Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit. Now, our French toast is fast, delicious and nutritious! Having convenient and healthy snacks is essential for me when I’m travelling with my two young boys. Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit is an easy to eat snack at anytime of day – just cut, scoop and enjoy! The SunGold kiwifruit (that I have used in this recipe) is sweeter than a green kiwifruit and tastes like a cross between a mango and a strawberry. The nutritional benefits of kiwifruit is something that I believe more people need to be aware of — they are quite exceptional! Being of Mediterranean descent, I have been plagued with iron deficiency from a young age. When my energy is low, and I know I’m in need of a good boost, one fruit, that has always been on the “good” list for me, are kiwifruits. Some health benefits of Kiwifruit include:

Kiwifruit provides more than a full day’s supply of vitamin C (more than three times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges), and helps to support a healthy immune system.

Research on SunGold Kiwifruit shows two specific qualities that promote digestive health: fiber and actinidin. (Two kiwifruit contain about the same amount of fibre as a bowl of bran flakes!)

Kiwifruit is one of the most nutritious fruits with the richest combination of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit are available at your local supermarkets from May through to October, so, be sure to keep an eye out for them! Choosing kiwi fruits that are ripe is best so that you can enjoy them right away. To pick the best Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, hold a kiwifruit in the palm of your hand and squeeze the fruit very gently. Kiwifruit taste sweeter when they are softer. SunGold Kiwifruit will last approximately 3-7 days at room temperature and once it is ripe, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!

If your family are big fans of French Toast, then be sure to give these French Toast Souffles a try. They are great to take on-the-go as well, there is no fork and knife required and because the kiwifruit add sweetness and moisture, they can do without the syrup and extra calories!

Makes 12 individual Soufflés, serve this tropical brunch treat straight from the oven. Serve it with your brunch spread and watch how much everyone enjoys it!

Author: Julie

Cuisine: Brunch, dessert

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) loaf brioche (10-12 slices), cut into ½ inch cubes

3 eggs, beaten

¾ cup milk

¼ teaspoon salt

½ tsp cinnamon

4 Kiwifruits, (cut, scooped and chopped)

Crumble:

1 Tbsp softened butter

½ cup shredded sweetened coconut

2 Tbsp brown sugar

½ cup rolled oats

1 Tbsp flourEquipment:

Standard 12 cup muffin tin

Parchment paper (You will need ⅔ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup softened butter in total to line all of the parchment squares.)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, add eggs, milk, salt and cinnamon together. Whisk until well combined.

Cut the bread into small, half inch cubes.

Add the bread to the bowl with the egg mixture. Stir to completely coat the bread. Let the bread sit in the eggs for 10 minutes to allow the bread to saturate. Use your hands to stir twice during this process.

Cut parchment paper into 12 4”x4” squares. Spread softened butter over each square and Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter. Put one buttered parchment square into one of the muffin cups and spoon ¼ cup of the bread mixture into the muffin cup. Press the bread mixture down into the parchment-lined muffin cup (the weight of the bread should prevent the parchment paper from popping up). Repeat until all 12 cups are lined with the buttered parchment paper and filled with the bread mixture.

Cut and scoop out your kiwifruit. Dice into ½ inch cubes. Disperse one diced kiwifruit among 3 muffin cups. Continue until all the cups are topped with diced kiwifruit.

Make the crumble, add softened butter, shredded coconut, brown sugar, rolled oats, and flour in to a medium-sized bowl. Using your fingers, incorporate all of the dry ingredients with the butter. Top each muffin cup with about 1 tablespoon of the crumble, making sure the crumble topping is evenly distributed among the 12 muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven until beginning to firm and the edges turn golden brown (about 20 to 25 minutes). Remove the tray from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the French toast soufflés from the muffin cups and put on a plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving and serve with maple syrup.NOTES:

*I used brioche bread although, regular sliced bread will work if it’s what you have on hand.

*Store any leftover soufflés in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat before enjoying them again.

*This post is sponsored by Zespri Kiwifruit. However, and as always, all opinions are my own.

Julie Miguel is a digital content producer with a specialization in food media as well as an active food blogger. The focus of her blog, Daily Tiramisu, is to empower home cooks to be fearless in the kitchen and she does this by taking traditionally difficult recipes and making them easier to execute.